Turning Point
by imgoingtocallyoufern
Summary: Their story hasn't ended yet. [NCIS:LA, Post 5x03]
1. Chapter 1

**I was going to make this a super quick one shot, but there will be a part two. (And possibly a part three- but we'll just have to wait and see, I'm not entirely sure yet.) I hope you all enjoy, please let me know if I should continue! We pick up right at the tail end of 5x03, and carry on from there. :)**

**-Hazel**

* * *

"...I thought earlier you said that today _I_ get to choose the restaurant."

"But that was lunch. And now it's dinner."

Deeks nodded, amused as his partner turned to walk away.

"…For dinner we're going to do-" she paused briefly to dance. "-bulgogi."

They strolled out of the bullpen, walking side by side towards the exit. "Okay. Your logic is super flawed but I'll go as long as you just stop doing whatever _that_ is."

She wasn't swayed. "What? You mean this? You mean _bulgooooogi?" _

_"_Actually… no. Nevermind. That's great."

Kensi laughed, and the sound was nearly a giggle considering how high pitched it was.

Deeks smiled, as his partner was practically egging him on by that point. "I dig it. Keep it up."

Kensi nodded with a smirk, continuing her dance all the way out to the parking lot until they reached her car, which was parked directly beside Deeks'.

"So… can I meet you at the restaurant?" Kensi asked, leaning against the truck of her car.

"We haven't even settled on where we are going yet!"

"Yes we have. Or, yes _I have._ It's gonna be great, you wanna know why? Because we're gettin' bulgoooo-"

"Okay partner, I get it."

"You sure? _Bulgoooo-"_

"Yup. Let's not. That's still disturbing, and I'll follow you."

Deeks chuckled and ducked into his car without another word, still wearing a huge smile. He didn't necessarily enjoy driving separately from Kensi, but the ten or fifteen minutes he got to spend alone certainly gave him time to think- but whether or not that was a bad thing... Deeks wasn't entirely sure.

After Kensi peeled out of the driveway he was quick to catch up with her, trying not to speed as he followed his partner towards her Korean dinner of choice.

He was eager to eat with her, eager to talk with her, but mostly just eager to _be_ with her. Alone time wasn't something that came often during their work day, and Deeks desperately wanted a place that was at least the tiniest bit secluded, one that might provide them a place to talk without any interruptions.

It truly was getting ridiculous- _any _'moment' that they might have had in the past was almost always interrupted by one of their team members. It literally happened _every damn time_, and he was quickly getting sick of it.

Deeks' mind was pulled back into reality as he noticed a fairly large amount of movement coming from the car in front of him- which was Kensi's car. She looked to be enthusiastically singing along to the radio and he laughed, equal parts unable and unwilling to hold it back.

For a split second, Kensi somehow managed to lock eyes with him in the rearview mirror. She stopped singing immediately and settled back into her seat, as the woman clearly knew that Deeks had been watching her. She tried her very best not to drift off the road and keep her eyes staring straight ahead, since Kensi knew that if she swerved even the tiniest bit Deeks would never let her hear the end of it- or that was at least what she thought.

Truthfully- he wasn't exactly in a mood to tease, not really. Of course he would do it anyways, just so she wouldn't become alarmed, but his mind was having a hard time staying focused in on one feeling or emotion. Deeks' stomach was in knots, and he wasn't exactly sure why. Maybe it was because things were suddenly so different between them? He didn't have an exact answer, but that certainly seemed like the most plausible option.

This was their first dinner outing since the abduction, since the torture, since the kiss- since _everything changed. _

And it just felt strange, because although the differences that currently faced their relationship were substantial, both Kensi and Deeks were acting as if nothing had happened; as if planting a kiss on your partner and asking _'How's that for communication?_' was totally normal.

In Deeks' mind, the kiss was supposed to be the turning point, the learning curve- the one fleeting moment that sparked something inside of them both, leaving a lingering blaze of passion and excitement behind.

But rather than saving the damsel in distress and riding off into the sunset, a wrench had been thrown into Deeks' grand, gallant plan. After the smooch he'd been abducted and brutally tortured, all to save the life of someone that he hardly even knew.

Then, instead of getting the chance to save the damsel himself, the damsel had come into the autobody shop where he was being held captive, strapped a blood bag to his chest and said "You have to stay here just a little while longer, okay?"

It wasn't the fairytale anyone had been hoping for, but it was the one they were stuck with, so Deeks just had to deal with it. Because at the end of the day, the damsel had eventually been the one to save the knight in shining armor- and that aspect of it all was integral to the storyline.

The book in question was battered and beaten on the outside, but that fact didn't matter. It still had a purpose, still had a reason for continuing. There were scars practically imprinted onto the front cover, sure, but Deeks didn't even care. It was _their_ story, after all- and it was one filled with grief, joy, sadness, and the occasional bought of hysterical laughter._ '_

_It was Gunpowder and Sunshine- The Story of Kensi and Deeks.' _A long, complex, 800 page novel that had taken him years to even begin to decipher.

It was confusing as well as baffling, mystifying yet endearing. There were new twists and turns on every page- some good and some bad, but even with the bad parts Deeks just couldn't bring himself to close the book for good. He wanted it to continue on and never,_ ever_ come to an end- he just needed that extra inch. He needed to know what was going to happen next.

But that request was impossible, as there were no hints hidden in between the lines. No chapters that had been left unread- for their self professed_ 'love story'_ was still being written.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: And here's part two! I hope you all enjoyed this short little story:) Onward to the next adventure!**

**-Hazel **

* * *

Deeks parked his car directly beside Kensi's in the parking lot. The sun was barely visible in the sky as he stepped outside, just an orange crescent riding low on the horizon.

"So... this is your new favorite restaurant?" Deeks asked his partner, walking over to lean against the side of her car as she opened up the door.

"Not totally. But they do have bulgooooo-"

"Right. Got it."

Without a second thought Deeks reached down and grabbed Kensi's hand, yanking her along for just a step or two before releasing once she was by his side.

He didn't make a big deal out of the small gesture, but Kensi couldn't help but be caught off guard by it.

She didn't say anything more, and instead glanced up at him, intrigued. Kensi must have kept her eyes on him a hilt longer than she originally intended to though, because by the time they reached the doorway he was staring back down at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Whatcha doin' there?"

"Hm? What? Nothing," she muttered quickly, zipping in front of him so she was the first one through the door.

Deeks smiled to himself, not allowing Kensi to see it. One day back on the job and they were at it again: _flirty banter._

He mouthed a silent "wow" upon entering- the location for their bulgogi feast was _nice. _Far nicer than he'd been expecting.

"Table for two?" Kensi asked the woman behind the counter, tapping her fingers against the hard metal table.

"Sure. Right this way."

They were lead towards the middle of the dining room, to a small table- just for two. It wasn't that Kensi had been _expecting _some massive family sized booth that seated eight people, but she couldn't help but blush at the dimly lit spread they were receiving.

She'd only been there during the daytime, when it was far more unassuming. But for dinnertime, the restaurant _definitely_ looked date-worthy. A single flower sat in a small vase, centered between two intricately detailed place settings. Cloth napkins, not paper. The whole shebang.

Deeks thought about pulling Kensi's chair out for her, but he knew that she wouldn't hesitate to snap his wrist. So instead he just took a seat at the same time she did, grabbing his menu as the hostess handed it to him.

"Your server will be with you shortly."

Kensi nodded, her cheeks becomingly increasingly crimson with the passing time.

Deeks just _had _to ask the question that was sitting on the tip of his tongue. It couldn't go ignored.

"Any reason for choosing this restaurant in particular?"

Kensi was easily defensive. "No. Why?"

He shrugged, eyes dancing around the room. "It just seems... fancy. Not our normal hangout."

She chuckled, trying to disguise her embarrassment by burying her nose in the menu. "We're not on a _date_, if that's what you're getting at."

Wide eyed and taken aback, Deeks' expression couldn't help but morph into a crooked smile. "I never said that."

Kensi shot her head up, suddenly finding it terribly challenging to formulate a basic sentence.

"Neither did I."

Deeks nodded slowly. He would let that one slide, _for her._

"Okay. If you say so."

"I do."

"Cool."

Kensi rolled her eyes for half a second, a tiny sigh escaping her lips.

He could've pressed more. Reached for another word. But Deeks settled on playing it safe- he didn't want to push the boundaries any further than he_ already had._

Their waiter was fast approaching from around the corner- a young and bubbly girl, probably still in her teens.

"Welcome! Can I get either of you something to drink?"

There was no wait for Kensi's reply. "Beer."

Deeks laughed at her bluntness. "Make that two, please."

The girl nodded, slightly taken aback before she left.

Deeks leaned back in his chair, grabbing the menu. "So... I think I know what you're ordering."

Kensi dropped her menu back to the table, happy that he was ready to change the subject.

"How'd ya guess?"

"I'm an instinctive creature."

"Hm."

"Really? You're not gonna test me on that one?"

Kensi extended a hand, taking a sip from her water glass.

"What's the use? You'll just throw it right back at me."

Deeks jetted his lower lip out, nodding in agreement. "Touché."

Kensi grinned, pleased she'd one their little war of words- it was a rare occurrence.

"Are you gettin' the same thing as me?"

"Bulgogi? No. It's not really my favorite."

Kensi laughed incredulously. "Have you ever even had it before? How would you know? It's fantastic."

There was a short silence.

"I tried it once. Didn't exactly pan out as I'd hoped it would."

His tone was nearly gruff. Deeks didn't lift his eyes away from the menu in front of him, forcing Kensi to find his wording even more peculiar than she would've otherwise.

"What's to say it won't be better the second time around?"

He shrugged. "You've built it up quite a bit... It could be a disappointment. What if it is? What will we do then?"

Kensi chuckled, trying her best to remain calm. "You'll order something different."

Deeks' eyes stopped grazing the menu, and he transferred his gaze to focus solely on Kensi.

"I'm more of a_ 'one and done'_ type of guy."

Kensi's heart practically stopped beating altogether.

"Are we still talking about bulgogi?"

Deeks wasn't predicting that she'd actually _address_ the elephant in the room. It seemed that he had been wrong.

"I'm not sure. Are we?"

Kensi rolled her eyes, trying not to be annoyed. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Answer my question with another question."

He snorted, ruffling his hair. "I thought that was my line, not yours."

Kensi was quickly growing exasperated. "Deeks-"

"Kens..." He began, looking unsure. "Let's not do this. Not now."

"Okay. If not now... then when?"

Deeks cocked his head to one side, shaking it just slightly. "Well- I thought I'd at least let you enjoy the appetizers first."

"It's been a _month_, Deeks."

Nothing was even remotely hypothetical by that point. Nothing at all.

"That's not technically true," he said, clearly reaching for an excuse. "I've only been back at work for a day."

Kensi cocked her head to one side, eyebrows raised. She didn't say anything. Waiting sounded better.

Deeks cleared his throat and sighed, something remotely resembling a laugh escaping his lips.

"What do you want me to say here, Kens? Do you want me to admit that nothing turned out as I'd planned? That everything went _horribly _wrong? Because it did. It _all_ went wrong. And you know it just as much as I do. But I'm not sure that I'm ready to rehash it yet."

She couldn't disguise the hurt- it was written out plainly across her face.

Kensi's vision grew misty as she searched for words. "Okay. I mean... if that's what you want."

Deeks' eyes darted around the room, almost shyly. It wasn't the Marty Deeks she knew.

"For right now... it is."

Kensi thought about excusing herself- maybe hopping up and jogging to the ladies room before she broke down completely. It was Deeks' eyes though, wide and kind, that forced her to reconsider.

"But that doesn't mean forever."

Kensi's pulse quickened- she was easily growing flustered.

"Good. That's... good." She smiled, hoping he wouldn't notice her sudden change in attitude- _he did._

The waitress came back to the table unexpectedly, happily dropping two beers down onto the table- clearly the girl hadn't realized that she was interrupting something.

Kensi and Deeks both mumbled a quiet 'thank you,' sipping their ice cold beverages as she walked away from the table. It was uncomfortable, sure- they'd basically both just agreed that one day, they'd be together.

Except neither person had any clue when that day would actually come.

There needed to be a change in topic- clearly their conversation wasn't going to travel any further, at least not on that particular night.

"So, um, Deeks... what did Callen want to talk to you about earlier? You seemed pretty shaken up."

He grimaced. Earlier Deeks thought that he'd done a descent job of playing it cool, not letting Kensi see how unsettling their little chat had truly been.

"I did?"

She wasn't going to dance around it. "Yeah. You did."

Deeks sighed, taking a sip of beer. He _desperately_ needed it.

"G said that he didn't want me there."

Kensi came pretty damn close to lunging across the table.

"He said _what?!_ Why?"

Deeks shrugged, fiddling with the label on his beer so aggressively that it almost peeled off entirely.

"He doesn't think I'm ready to be back, I guess."

"You took almost an entire month off! Isn't that enough?"

"Apparently not in his mind."

With knitted eyebrows she swallowed hard- hard enough that it was outwardly visible to her partner.

"Well... What are we gonna do about it?"

Deeks tilted his head to one shoulder, nonchalant. "I'm not sure there's much we can do. I'll just have to show him that I'm good."

Kensi nodded slowly, narrowing her eyes. "Are you really, though?"

Deeks gawked at her, but only for a moment. "You too?"

She was quick to backtrack. "I don't mean it like, well, _that. _I was just wondering about... you, I guess. Are you sleeping better now?"

He almost laughed, but heard the sincerity in her voice and stifled it. Deeks couldn't help but feel like a child when she proceeded to ask about his sleeping schedule.

"Yeah, I am." Deeks' face changed, eyes sparkling as he grinned- more than ready to tease her again. "I like our sleepovers."

She made a face, voicing her disgust. "Come on, Deeks. You make it sound so..."

"So what?"

_"Inappropriate. _I sleep on the couch, for christ's sake."

"And so do I."

She couldn't dispute his statement- it was a fact. But regardless, Kensi found it easy to glare.

"Don't be mad at me, Fern. I know how much you love my cat pillow."

Kensi laughed into her beer bottle, creating an echo. "It's very manly."

Deeks chuckled along for a moment before muttering a curse word under his breath, just as their waitress appeared once more. He didn't have the slightest_ clue_ as to where she was even coming from.

Kensi giggled at his disgruntlement, the sound becoming just the tiniest bit louder when he shifted in his seat, widening his eyes in disbelief. This chick was like the energizer bunny.

"Are you two ready to order?"

Kensi nodded, speaking first so Deeks wouldn't have to. "I'll have the bulgogi, please."

"Great! And for you, sir?"

Deeks contemplated his choices for a moment, eyes gracing the menu before he made his final decision.

"I think... I'll have the bulgogi as well."

Though he may have been doing something as simple as ordering food, Kensi couldn't help but read much, _much _further into it.

"I see you, um, changed your mind," Kensi said, her voice almost a whisper. "What happens if you don't like it?"

Deeks smiled toothily as he handed the waitress his menu, wearing an expression that was equal parts genuine and bright.

"I've decided it's worth the risk."


End file.
